9. It's Worth It

*After Shopping and Back At Amber's Dorm*

"This is a cute dress." Perrie says, pulling one of the dresses Louis bought me out of the bag. It's not the white one, this one is black, with white anchors on it. It goes to mid thigh, it's a simple sundress. She pulls out the one next, she is helping me out the clothes away. She pulls a black skirt out and a grey tank top that says normal is boring goes with it, and so does a black leather vest. "This is perfect!" She says laying the outfit down. "Did he really pick these out, and buy you some?" She asks in awe of Louis' good taste. I pull out my favorite dress knowing Perrie will love it.

"Wait until you see this one, I paid for." I pull the dress from behind my back and she gasps and slaps my arm. The chest is black and the bottom is galaxy print. It's a strapless mullet dress, the back reaches just below my knees and the front is about mid thigh. "There's more." I say pulling out a pair of black heel ankle boots. I also pull out a thick black leather bracelet that has to be clasped I bought to go with it.

"Oh my God, I hate you!" She says, as I slip the dress on a hanger and hanging from my bed. My bed is a bunk bed, I got it from Jeff, and I use the top to store things: phone chargers, books, notebooks, movies, CD ect. We go through the rest of the bags, I bought the majority of it, because I refused to let Louis buy more than he did. I smile and check the time on my phone I have work.

"Shit, Perrie I got to get ready for work." I say jumping off the bed. She hands me an outfit, one for the shopping trip and I change right there. She gave me the Brtitish flag one, and I grabbed a pair of red converse. I hurry out to my car, I work at a little coffee shop a block or two away.

When I get there the little bell above the door dings, and I hurry to the back. I wrap the blue apron around my waist, and clock in. "Haven't seen you in a while." My boss, Tony, says with a chuckle. He gave me a week off. I hope Harry is working today I think to myself, just as he bumps into me. He was walking backwards into the kitchen.

"Sorry, Amber." He says, and I roll my eyes. I wave to Camille letting her know she can leave. She finishes her tables and when new costumes come and sit I start taking over for her.

"Hello, Mr. And Mrs. Cook, you're regular?" I ask holding my pen and notepad at the ready. Mr. And Mrs. Cook are an elderly couple that come every week, to support local business. They know all the workers by name, and all of us know them by name. They are extremely good tippers too.

"Yes please Amber, it's nice seeing you." Mrs. Cook answers, I smile and write down The Cooks Regular. They get it so often Tony changed the name to The Cooks Regular.

"It's nice seeing you too, how are the grandchildren?" I ask, I genuinely want to know since they tell me every time and I feel like I know the kids.

"Oh fine dear thanks for asking." She says in that old people I'm so happy you asked voice. I smile and walk to the next table. I don't know who this person, except for the brief encounter where we literally bumped into each other. He's sitting at a table for nine, so I assume someone else will be coming.

"Hello, I'm Amber I'll be your waitress today. Can I start you off with a drink, or are you waiting for someone?" I ask, the boys smiles, and I notice he's a bit dressed up for Tony's Palace. It's a sort of fancy name, but really just a small place that could pass off as a Coffee shop.

"I am waiting for someone, but it won't hurt if I get something to drink." He scans the menu, and orders coffee black. I write it down and move to the next table. Sitting at the table is my idiots. Perrie, Zayn, Liam, Niall, Sophia, Louis, and Lexi. Perrie and Lexi smile and wave at me and I shake my head.

"What can I get ya to drink?" I ask, with a smile. They take turns ordering Louis goes last. "And for you Mr. Tomlinson?" I ask pretending to be extremely interested, like it was a story he was telling making him chuckle. He orders a Coke. "I'll be back." I say heading into the kitchen. Harry is in there at the same time, we're the only to serves this afternoon, and there usually only two. "Tony can I get a Cooks Regular?" I ask, Harry tries to catch my eye, but I ignore him and make a black coffee and sweet tea and unsweetened tea. Tony sets a tomato soup, a chicken salad sandwich, a chicken soup and turkey club on my tray. I take the Cooks their dinner, go back to the kitchen and get the coffee, the boy is still waiting so I go back and get the drinks for my friends.

"Sit, you're costumers look satisfied for now." Zayn says, pulling a chair from another table. I sit and he offers me a sip of his Coke, I gladly take it.

"They got to you." Lexi says pointing at my shirt. I roll my eyes. The bell above the door rings and a group of elderly people join the boy.

"That's my cue. Do you know what you guys want to eat?" I ask pushing the chair back to the other table. My friends shake their heads no. I laugh and head to the table full of old people. I put on a smile and walk back to the table, and I'm surprised to see my mother's parents. "Hello, I'm Amber I'll be your waitress can I take your order." I ask, completely surprised but don't show it.

"Hello Amber," my Nana says, I nod. "These are my friends Julie and Vincent Hood, their son Thomas and his wife Joy. And this is Calum, the boy I was telling you about and his sister Mali. This is my granddaughter Amber." Says introducing me, making her friends smile.

"Hi it's nice to finally meet you." Joy says an I shake her hand. I know where Nana is up to.

"You too, can I get you something to drink?" I ask again holding out my notepad and pen to empathize my reason for being at the table.

"I'll get a Coke for me a diet coke for my wife, mother and daughter. I'll also get a Coke for my son and father." Calum's father jumps in, ordering for the majority of the table. I smile and write it down. My grandfather orders Cokes for him and Nana. I nod and walk to the Cooks table.

"Dessert today or are you still on your diet Mr. Smith?" I ask picking up their empty bowls and plates.

"I've been good all week, we'll get that apple pie with vanilla ice cream and two spoons." Mr. Smith says with a smile. I write it down and go to the back, I put their order in and ring them up. I leave their check on a tray and see Harry, and for the first time today in happy.

"Harry," He looks at me, but looks away again, "Harold c'mon. Harold Edward Styles stop being a jerk." He smirks and looks at me. "Can you do me a favor please. Go wait on table four, for me."

"What's in it for me?" He asks leaning against the counter, with his arms folded at his chest. He smirks, "Go on I like when you beg." He adds as a second thought.

"I'll take whatever table you want, and I'll forgive you." I say loading the tray up with the drinks for my grandparents table. Harry pretends to think about it and nods. I hand him the tray and he heads to the old people table. I place the apple pie on the tray and make my way to the Cooks. "Here you are and your check, you can call me over when your done or just leave the money on the table."

"Thank you darling." Mrs. Cook says patting my arm. I smile and head to my table of idiots.

"I bet you it won't work." Liam says, and the table goes quiet when I approach. "Hey Amber, we think we're ready." He says.

"Go for it then." I say holding my pen up and soon enough the table is shouting out their food, when I think I got it all I recite it. They clap when I get it right. When I turn to walk into the kitchen, a pair of hands grab my waist and pull me back, and I'm on Louis' lap. Without warning he starts tickling me, and I thrash laughing, my face heats up. "What is that for?" I say when I get up.

"Liam bet me I couldn't make you laugh. He was wrong." Louis says smiling back at me. I shake my head and go check on the Cooks. Mrs. Cook is smiling so big when she sees me standing next to her.

"You and your boyfriend are adorable." She says as Mr. Cook helps her put on her coat. "Reminds me of the visits Tom, here would give while I was working. I hope it works out." She smiles.

"Thank you." I smile, not bothering to tell her Louis and I are just friends. She wouldn't believe it anyway. I wave to them and clean off their table. They left me a twenty dollar tip, they always do. I place the tip in my apron pocket and take their stuff to the kitchen. I enter their money in the cash register and place my idiots order. I start taking care of a few more tables, and the rush begins. I huff setting down Perrie's food. "I just love work." I say making Perrie laugh.

"Awe, too bad it hates you." She says sticking her tongue out at me. I roll my eyes and set down Zayn's food. I give Louis his plate last, and my stomach growls. I frown and turn to go and get the next table their drinks, but Louis stops me.

"Here, take half." He says, holding up his plate. It's a turkey club sub, with no tomato. "Amber I will shove it down your throat if you don't." I smile and take a bite.

"Thanks." I smile, and hurry back to work.

~*~*~*~*~

*After The Shift*

I sigh and count my tips, over a hundred dollars. I grab my jacket off the coat rack and pull it on. My whole shifts two table remains occupied, by the same people. Table four and table ten. I grab a chair and sit next to Zayn and Louis I rest my head on Zayn's shoulder and he pays my cheek. "Princess Amber, you aren't going to say goodbye to you Nana and Papa?" He asks in the most sarcastic tone ever.

"Bite me." I say opening my eyes, and they meet Louis' he pushes a plate in front of my face and it's my half of the sub. "Thanks Lou, I appreciate it."

"Yeah, you owe me." He says, his tone is light and joking. I lean and give him a hug. "When I said that I was thinking more of another movie, except this time we call it a date?" He says, and I smile so big I feel like there's no room left on my face for anything else.

"Sure, only if it's Mockingjay Part One." I negotiate sitting up and taking a bite of the sub.

"We'll leave you to be." Niall says, and the rest get up a leave. I giggle and take the last bite, I was gradually eating it throughout my shift.

"We can see that, if we kiss afterwards, or during." He says leaning closer. He smiles, and I smile, up close I can't find any flaws to this man, and I can't find any far away; yet there's a beautiful difference being this close to him.

"My breath might smell, because of popcorn, and all that other junk." I say, and he chuckles. Just as we are about to close the distance I hear a voice I can't stand.

"Just what are you doing?" My grandmother says pushing her way in between Louis and I. I groan, I was so close, so so close to kissing a man of perfection. "You are not only in a public place, but you are also not in love." She says like she is talking to a child.

"Can you not? Honestly, I don't see how you think you have a say in my life. Not after you repeatedly gave an ignorant, inconsiderate, rude and extremely closed minded opinion about my friend based on his religion. Especially, not after you urged my mother to change mine and her last names back after my father died serving our country because you didn't approve of him. Now you think you can set me up the good church going boy, so you can what? Save me? News flash I like Louis, he has tattoos, we don't discuss religion, we talk about things that are senseless and fun. We hang out all the time, that includes sleepovers. So just stop." I say, standing up and pulling Louis with me. Outside of the restaurant I suck in a breath, and say "I hate being a liar, let's go to the tattoo parlor."

-/-/-/-/-

Okay I know it's not the best chapter and I'm sorry, I like it and I hope you do too! Like, favorite, comment, please let me know what you think. Oh did anyone see Big Hero 6 and Mockingjay Part 1? Both were so good!!